The Ellsworth Community College men’s basketball team is the NJCAA Division II Tournament runner-up after competing in the semifinal and championship game during the weekend in Danville, Illinois. The Panthers defeated Iowa Central 85-70 in Friday’s semifinal and fell to Parkland 76-68 in Saturday’s championship game.
Having fallen to Iowa Central twice in the regular season, the Panthers got revenge. They built an 11-point halftime lead and held off a second half surge while shooting a crisp 47 percent. Jonavan Wilkinson led five players in double figures with 18 points.
The Panthers led Parkland by as many as four points at several occasions throughout the second half. Parkland retook the lead with 4:49 remaining, and Ellsworth was held to just eight points in the final six minutes. A dunk by Alex Charlotin cut the deficit to four with 0:07 remaining, but Parkland sealed the game at the free throw line. Charlotin led with 19 points. Eesher Singh Sarai had a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds.
The Panthers finished the season 28-8.
